Silent Monitor Fails Baby: Mum's Heartbreak

A preventable tragedy unfolded at The James Cook University Hospital when a heart monitoring machine error led to a stillbirth. Bethany Sowerby, 38 weeks pregnant, rushed to the hospital due to concerns about her baby's movements. Staff connected her to a CTG monitor, but approximately 30 minutes later, a paper jam occurred.

The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) later revealed the monitoring machine's alarm had activated but was set to silent. This critical failure meant a dangerous drop in the baby's heart rate was not recognized until it was too late. An independent investigation highlighted that this delay in identifying the baby's distress likely impacted the tragic outcome.

Bethany delivered her stillborn daughter, Hattie, on May 16, 2023. The post-mortem examination indicated Hattie had been deprived of oxygen. The mother, who has since been diagnosed with PTSD, is sharing her story during Baby Loss Awareness Week to advocate for improved maternity safety.

Legal representatives are supporting Bethany and Matthew Sowerby, emphasizing the need for lessons to be learned from the incident. The South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust expressed condolences but stated they cannot comment further due to ongoing legal proceedings.